The headline of this article is a personal opinion derived from true facts. The popular associate of a prominent anonymous and abusive internet troll has undertaken more than 50 lawsuits against the press, and has admitted in an interview with The Times that she’s “too thin-skinned” when it comes to people writing critically about her.

That seems to us to be fair and factual evidence in support of “litigious”.

“Bully”, meanwhile, is an honestly-held opinion related to those facts, based on the following definitions of that word from the Oxford English Dictionary:

(This is particularly true if you interact with the person by unnecessarily involving your audience of 6.6 million social-media followers, a percentage of whom will then be highly likely to bombard them with abuse, whether you intend them to or not. Even aside from direct abuse, McGarry received in excess of 75,000 Twitter notifications simply as a result of Rowling’s tweets mentioning her.)

And there’s a reason we mention this.

The past week has seen some horrific assaults on free speech, instigated by those of considerable wealth and power against those who have far less. The recently-formed football club trading as “Rangers” successfully demanded the sacking of a Sunday Herald columnist for a personal tweet in support of a colleague, who’d been the unwilling subject of an apology published by its daily sister paper and who felt unable to continue working for it as a result.

Both writers had been the subject of storms of internet abuse from “Rangers” fans also demanding their sacking, and worse besides.

Independent MP Natalie McGarry, meanwhile, locked her Twitter account after a similar barrage of abuse which followed JK Rowling’s public challenging of some comments made by the MP. Rowling had boasted, in response to a tweet from a fawning Scottish journalist, of commanding “a small island” of lawyers.

(The journalist’s tweet had expressly raised the fact that Rowling had a vast army of legal might at her disposal, implying that it was more advisable to defame those with fewer resources who would be less able to protect their reputations, regardless of the fairness or otherwise of the comments.)

It was in this climate of fear that The National chose not to publish a comic strip by cartoonist Greg Moodie yesterday.

The content of the cartoon was not made public. Whether it featured Rowling, or “Rangers”, or neither, has not to our knowledge been revealed. And what that tells us is that it wasn’t pulled under legal threat, because its subject would logically not have known there was anything to issue a threat over. It was simply never published at all, because the newspaper was too scared.

Defamation law in Scotland is primitive and draconian. Unlike that of England it wasn’t reformed under the 2013 Defamation Act, and technically Moodie could have been prosecuted just for submitting the cartoon to the newspaper’s editor for assessment.

Ironically, the newspaper most actively supporting a new campaign to reform the law in Scotland was the Herald – the publisher of which sacked one journalist and lost another last week over defamation threats, and which also operates The National.

The actions of JK Rowling, a serial and (by her own admission) over-sensitive litigator who can nevertheless afford to undertake basically limitless lawsuits – invariably backed up by a wildly supportive Scottish media who unhesitatingly portray her as the victim in any argument – have contributed to an atmosphere where no journalist read in Scotland can pursue their job in safety.

That’s a toxic legacy to bequeath fellow writers. But given Rowling’s known Unionist sympathies, it’s perhaps worth keeping in mind when people question the fairness and impartiality of the Scottish media on the subject of politics.

Because even when no threat is made or directly implied, we’ve learned in the past few days that the Scottish press will pre-emptively censor itself to avoid any risk of upsetting the wealthy and powerful, even if that means shielding the likes of “Brian Spanner” from the merciless exposure and opprobrium that would be the certain fate of any independence supporter making similar comments.

In Scotland, you can say what you like so long as you’re pals with JK Rowling. But if you challenge her, or any other powerful and rich institution – whether it be “Rangers” or the BBC or the UK itself – you better watch your back. Because you can expect no protection from the self-proclaimed champions of freedom.

I agree. She is a bully. And completely unselfconsciously humorless to boot. And just for fun, if she is reading this, perhaps she might try to write something that isn’t a piss poor rip off of Blyton and Tolkien.

Sorry OT I am sick to death of hearing that Scotland has one of the strongest devolved parliaments in the civilised world, so feckin what, we are still TOLD what we can and cannot do by a bunch of tory posh boys that treat Scotland and the Scots with utter contempt, derision and disgust, they TELL us and our representatives what they are willing to give us subsidy junkies. Get it through our thick Scottish heads, we are not equal partners we are not even equal humans in their eyes. Stuff devolution up their jacksies , we need independence.

We are not one of the strongest devolved parliaments in the civilised world the UK is, it is governed by the unelected mandarins of the EU and herr Merkel who tells them what to do and when to do it , and when TTIP is introduced they will dance even more to the great USA . I want a free Scotland, free from Wastmonster free from slavery, not to be subjugated to a European superstate run by lunatics

I watched the news today with Camoron effusing about the great deals he is making on his negotiations re the EU WTF he is going backwards, every condition he set out has been hobbled by Tusk, every condition would be temporary if at all agreed to, every condition has a qualifying opposing condition, the perfect example of how to do business under the tolly ( not a typo) government, lie, lie lie and lie some more.

To ALL the people wanting to remain within the EU I ask, do you want this snake oil salesman Tusk and his fellow Merkelites to direct your government which they will do, do you trust these self serving neocons to work for the betterment of the Scottish people, when they gleefully and enthusiastically jumped on the better together bandwagon and helped promote project fear, with senior europhiles eagerly chastising Salmond and telling Scotland and the Scots to get in the queue, and sorry there are no guarantees that we will let you in our gang. Well I for one say GIRFUY you can stick your gang up where the sun don’t shine

Like the rest of Britain’s moneyed elite, JK is largely above the law.

Her wealth allows the instant deployment of a herd of lawyers. The law, mostly made by her kindred spirits, doesn’t put any any real obstacles in her way. Such people can do and say what they want, immune from prosecution.

Until Scotland’s laws are wholly made in Scotland by a wholly democratic legislature we must tolerate this situation.

Compare and contrast with Neil Hay’s campaign being scuppered when his pseudonymous Twitter account was revealed and plastered all over the msm. His tweets were actually pretty innocuous. Nowhere near as offensive as those of the Spanner.

Get the vote in May 5th 2016 SNP X 2.
Vote for to remain in the EU Summer 2016.
Get the vote in May 4th 2017 SNP.
Campaign for Ref2 in 2018.
Get the vote in Summer 2019.
Scotland Independent 2020.
Revision of Scots Law.
Tractors crawl south.

It would be interesting if Rowling and her friend spanner would like to reply directly on this comments page. In fact it would be nice to see if her friend spanner would like to say who he really is, on here.

I took against her when she successfully sued a photographer who took pictures of her and her husband pushing their son’s baby buggy along a public street. I’m no fan of paparazzi, but there’s no right to privacy in a public place, so the court ruling effectively changed the law on street photography.

Am I the only one who thinks that she has destroyed far more than she saved? I could have some respect for a No voter, no matter how misguided I think they may be, but her actions over this affair have been beyond the pale.

Actually, that could be the same for a certain football club and their t****! (Well, you can’t call them supporters can you.)

As the Herald Editor’s assistant said in the stock reply to my complaint about Editorial policy and treatment of staffS.
“Our titles have a long history of supporting quality journalism and defending free speech and robust comment. This made all the more difficult the action we had to take.” Think that’s history indeed.

Using her vast wealth to silence reasonable criticism. Using charities as a weapon.
The tame Scottish press will always oblige with the victimhood stories when needed. Helped by cultivating online friendships with sycophantic journalists who don’t have the cojones to call out hypocrisy when it is plain to see.

If the heat gets a bit much, she can always find an abusive tweet from some moron to ridicule, pretending it is representative of normal people.
Let’s all laugh at these uncouth nationalists she tells her flock .. conveniently ignoring the legions of nasty Britnat UKIP types, the 1690 or Britain First mob, and of course her abusive ‘Spanner’ friend.

“Yes”, cry her obsequious worshippers. “How divisive! Wouldn’t it be so rude to want self-government for Scotland..”

As someone who has bought her books and film DVD’s for myself and for grand children, I will never buy another JK Rowling product. Mainly because of her arrogant attack on someone who, I think was justifiably pointing out her choice of contacts were a bit dodgy.
It will be interesting to see if ‘spanner’ suffers any consequences of his actions.

This has always been the favoured way to shut down whistleblowers.
Threats and menaces.
It’s arguable whether McGarry has damaged Rowling’s reputation by asserting she defends or supports a misogynist troll.
McGarry here has just drawn attention to the fact that Rowling follows a twitter account of a person who is known to tweet frequent abusive tweets, some with misogynistic and other denigratory references for example about people with Learning difficulties.

That fact that Rowling appears to favour attacking the ‘whistleblower’, for in effect this is what McGarry is, rather than making any conciliatory remark in an attempt to investigate the complaint, is not only a classic example of attempt to silence the one who points out misdemeanour, but also a significant and manifest pointer towards where Rowling’s reputation might be hosted.

For it is blatantly obvious to anyone who understands public loathing of users of hate-speech, that if you are a public figure of perceived significant influence, not to condemn it publicly when it is brought to your attention publicly, but in fact by your lack of opprobrium appear to not act against it, all the while protesting that you do, indicates just where the wellspring of any damage to your reputation lies.

Rowling is a bully and her gushing sycophants like Daisley can try to cover for her and their scumbag friend all they want. Something really stinks about this one and they don’t want us to get to the bottom of it.

I wonder if that old chestnut “anonymous internet cowards” will ever be wheeled out again by Yoon journos as they near tears at the inhumanity of naughty trolls on some special S.T.V report.

For all the jokey bonhomie between Spanner, Journos and J.K since Friday, you can tell they are now absolutely shiteing it.

We will make absolutely sure as many people as possible know of your internet friendship with a misogynistic and abusive internet coward, Mrs. Rowling, because that is exactly what it is. We will make it our purpose to damage and tarnish your brand at every opportunity and if ever you raise another Helen Lovejoyesque squeal about internet abuse, we will be right there to point people and sponsors in the direction your “poodle fondling Yoda”.

Because when it comes to hypocrisy as explicit as this, there isn’t a P.R consultant in the world who can keep it hidden completely.

Great article, Imagine a Country which has a fantasy writer who lives in a fantasy world with characters in a bubble where everything is rosy. Wonder what’s its like to have people hanging out of your arsehole just because you have money !!

What the heck would the indy movement have done without Rev Stu’s razor-sharp ability to nail the salient facts in a link-strewn summary like this?

I feel we are at a sort of pivotal point in things after this extraordinary few days.

It’s the media. It’s ALWAYS been about the media. And now they have been well and truly caught in the act.

There is no going back now for them, however long it takes.

There have been many great articles and comments on this Spannergate affair and the “Rangers” affair in the past few days from brave fearless indy-media journos. Rev Stu, Derek Batman, Wee Ginger Dug and Rev Stu again (:D) are the ones that spring to mind at first but there have been others. It really, really pisses me off that we who read them and comment o them are described demonisingly out there as “Cybernats”.

The truth is that anyone, now, it seems, who supports Scottish Independence and has a computer, and who reads these excellent pieces and has a view on them and sometimes even comments and contributes to them, is a “Cybernat”.

The CorpMedia know we’re just perfectly normal people who are crowdfunding the far superior journalism we’re getting from the indy blogs and other initiatives. That we’re enquiring and analysing people, talking to each other online. It’s always suited their little game to “use their considerable power and influence” to portray us as “vile abusers”.

But it means the non-online and non-interested public assume we’re those “crazy abusive ranters that say nasty stuff on the internet and wear Scottish Resistance T-shirts”.

That’s why this Spannergate affair is proving to be such a sweet “gotcha” moment in the history of the Restoration of Scottish Independence. They really have been hoisted by their own petard.

I particularly love the fact that it’s their arch-nemesis, the one they daren’t acknowledge, the fearless and uncannily incisive PROPER journalist Rev Stuart Campbell, who’s once again encapsulated it all in the most readable, accessible way that we know will be seen by thousands.

One thing I always felt would become more visible post-devolution was how crap a lot of Scots law is. Particularly with regard to what we would consider the norms of a free democratic society. Since 1999 it’s been found wanting on human rights, freedom of speech and (most recently) voters holding politicians to account.

It’s entirely understandable: as a legal system it’s largely escaped serious democratic scrutiny for almost 300 years.

I have no real interest in Harry Potter and have no strong views on Rowling either way. My kids read a couple of the books and quite liked them but the oldest moved onto Pullman and took his sister with him. They both absolutely loved the Dark Materials triology and I think just outgrew Potter. Nevertheless I thought it was good that the books and films did well. A sort of Worst Witch meets Pratchett and Enid Blyton. Combinations that will always work well kids.

I was a bit taken aback when I saw all the stuff about litigation for material that was entertaining but hardly original. I haven’t read all of the links to court cases and probably never will but I was mildly horrified when I saw that they had sued a Hindu festival back in 2007 for building a Hogwarts as pandal in the annual Durga. It was a temporary structure as part of a festival…ironically to celebrate the victory of good over evil. (No good karma could possibly come from such a mean act). As far as I can see the Indian court kicked the litigation out and the festival went ahead.

Of course all our heroes have feet of clay but it is disappointing when they appear to be just quite so petty. It would seem the big corporations suck you in and demand your soul…they pay well though.

Ach, she’s just angry that “Moan” got the call to wear the red robe, she was so desperate to be on the same bench as Lord Forfuksake, and there she is with bugger all, serves her right, ’cause money ain’t gonna solve her bitterness .

How did Neil Hay’s twitter alter ego, Paco Sheeple?, become a front page story while this Brian Spanner character is protected by the Corp Media? JK’s best twitter friend is a cyber bully. Identifying this entity is essential since so many Scottish hacks are influenced by “him”.

Perhaps Greg Moodie can ask for a police investigation since it is now threatening his livelihood.

Thanks to Rev Stu for standing up to this nasty little cabal. Crowdfunder welcome if needed.

Well said Rev. She does herself more harm than we could ever do. She is self obsessed and committed only to preserving the reputation she has created. Sadly in trying to preserve the image she is becoming more and more insular.

Excellent stuff Wings. And if perchance the Bullygirl threatens you I am sure supporters of REALLY free speech will support you, and not only with kind words. The ‘crowd’ has plenty of resources to hand.

Jamie @ 7.19
Lowering the tone a Wee bit there Jamie.
Even if you were trying to be funny (which you weren’t)
That Rowling wummin comes across believing stuff like that
We’re no actually discussing anything remotely related to ISIS how you put the two in the same post baffels me.
Infact she may have inadvertantly helped to demonstrate the Yoons hysteria over (so called ) cybernat buillies is hipocracy at its best.

The best form of revenge for a attention seeker, is to simply ignore them.
Its very sad that someone who has built up a massive following and huge success across the globe, doesn’t seem content with their life.
It is obviously true, money can’t buy happiness.

When someone who has been subject to intimidation and threat from the rich and powerful supported by the press, takes their own life, then the tables will turn and people’s eyes will open.

Without naming names I can think of one individual who must have been absolutely sick with worry of financial ruin. It’s a disgrace as a society we let this person live in fear of another giving the thumbs down down like Caesar in the Collesium.

It’s almost as if the mega wealthy accumulate all this wealth, don’t know what to do with it other than accumulate more and resort to making others lives’ hell for amusement. Honourable exceptions being Bill Gates and Andrew Carnegie.

It’s a wonder how some look at themselves in the mirror in the morning!

I can not abide yon Joanne wummin! She is a disgrace to normal society. She follows an absolute moron of an individual, is questioned about it and her first act is to threaten litigation … I mean … SERIOUSLY!!!

Wee Joanne thinks she can DO and SAY whatever she wants … whenever she wants and NO ONE has the right to question her at ANY time. Hmm … 😉

I sniff another bad case of galloping arse rot from the so called Scottish Press and Media. I have zero sympathy for them. I suspect the diarrhoea will only get worse between now and the election in May.

I wouldn’t be surprised if what happens next is ‘JK Rowling leaves Twitter/Social media due to Nationalist bullying’ (only for a couple of weeks of course to maximise public wrath).

And she can bring down that wrath of her followers and ‘associates’ on anyone, just needs a bit of twisting here and there and you’ve got a game of ‘play the victim’.

She is part of the establishment (as is most of the MSM she’s aquainted with) not only powerful, but with powerful friends, we have to remember that too.

As for Rangers, wish they would bugger off to the English leagues. But I know they won’t take them despite the fantasising from some of their fans. It’s a soap opera of a club I can’t be bothered with. Btw are they still living on loans month to month?

As I mentioned in the previous article where Ms Rowling was discussed, the one thing that has surprised me about the whole affair is her advisors! Where on earth is JK’s public relations advisors in this unholy mess? Do none of them realise of the potential PR disaster that is emanating from this fiasco? Should JK try to follow up on her word and bring Ms McGarry to book if she fails to pay a sum of money to one of JK’s favourite charities, then not only could this blow up in JK’s face as the whole affair is laid bare, but that the proposed charity may run to the hills if it is also seen profiteering from what many may perceive as blackmail. I am absolutely shocked that no PR officer has tried to shutdown JK’s twitter account and told her to go off on holiday to the Seychelles …for maybe four months!

Also, Greg Moodies quote from Voltaire raises another famous quote; this one by Alexander Pope when he stated within a letter to Dr Arbuthnot the infamous line of ‘Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?’

After Dr Arbuthnot had warned Pope about making derogatory and sarcastic remarks against very influential people within the Establishment. The warning to Pope was to stop attacking John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey, who was also a close confident of Queen Caroline. Arbuthnot feared that if Pope didn’t back down, then one whisper from Hervey to the Queen would see Pope’s world crashing down around him.

The actual piece itself is an interesting play on words and history. Taken from Wikipedia, here is the piece, and the insults that lie within, and were directed at Hervey.

Let Sporus tremble –”What? that thing of silk,
Sporus, that mere white curd of ass’s milk?
Satire or sense, alas! can Sporus feel?
Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?
Yet let me flap this bug with gilded wings,
This painted child of dirt that stinks and stings;
Whose buzz the witty and the fair annoys,
Yet wit ne’er tastes, and beauty ne’er enjoys,

“Sporus”, a male slave favoured by Emperor Nero, was, according to Suetonius, castrated by the emperor, and subsequently married. Pope here refers to accusations made in Pulteney’s Proper reply to a late scurrilous libel of 1731 which led to Hervey challenging Pulteney to a duel. Hervey’s decade-long clandestine affair with Stephen Fox would eventually contribute to his downfall. As first published the verse referred to Paris, but was changed to Sporus when republished a few months later.

“What? that thing of silk” uses a metaphor of a silkworm spinning that Pope had already used in The Dunciad to refer to bad poets. “Ass’s milk” was at that time a common tonic, and was part of a diet adopted by Hervey. “This painted child” comments on make-up such as rouge used by the handsome Hervey.

Written back in the 1800’s …it seems that this infamous poem is highly applicable within the 21st Century when applied to the fallout from the current twitter-gate row.

The article is the apparent ability of the rich and powerful to silence the truth, to sack workers who dare to support a colleague. The powerful sometimes hidden in the shadows being able to dictate what cartoons we can see yet last year would parade with others shouting ‘je suis Charlie” pretending that they believe in freedom of speech. Their freedom is do what your told and say what they may let you away with.

We are a threat to their world, their British state. More dangerous than bombs, bullets and nukes. It is the idea that they are scared of. The idea of freedom— freedom of thought, freedom from the power of the London state.
It is about power.

If the article you reproduced regarding Rangers is the one they are threatening to sue over then you might save yourself a bit of confusion by conidering why that’s a credible threat.

It might be true rather than, as stated in it, that some fans sing Billy Boys on the subway. However the author makes what is his first error in admitting it as hearsay. Having thus demonstrated his ability to dance around the laws of libel he goes own to state as fact that an unamed director thinks it’s a damned good tune/song.

Arguably The Rangers have a case. Arguably The Herald would lose. However if they are allowing themselves to be constantly terorised by it without a written agreement they are never going to be free of it.

This is different from the questions raised about JK’s provable relationship with what is at best a parody and at worst a genuine troll. It defitely smacks of hypocrisy. Without a written agreement there’s no point in being pressurised into making any payment as doing so would not prevent further threats. More to the point whilst blackmail in general is illegal are the penalties not likely to be worse if the one being blackmailed is an MP?

Some final points.

Fans follow teams not clubs. Airdrie, for example, are a team who’s current club was previously Clydebank who it’s current owner bought for it’s league membership. If a similar route wasn’t considered with Rangers then I’m surprised.

The SPL of the day dealt with corporate entities who entered teams into competitions and who voted not to allow the new owners of the Rangers team to retain the membership held by the previous just as the could have if it’d been a simple change of ownership.

The use of EBTs definitely broke the rules of competition but that doesn’t mean they were illegal. The reason HMRC decided to pursue Rangers is sinister in that in effect they were pursuing tax well before it was due. Put it this way if they tried to make you pay for your next five years in advance you’d tell them to fuck off.

They had a point in that the laws regarding offshore earnings had turned the tax avoidance scheme into a timebomb. As soon as the oversees payments meant to clear the advances made under the EBT became due Rangers or the players would have to pay tax. Simply wiping of the debt might have been worse as it’d mean the tax was at UK rates. God knows just how much of a liability the oldco were facing.

Last comment disappeared so try again- Neil Hay’s twitter alter ego became front page news last year damaging his election chances. Yet this Brian Spanner character, and best twitter friend of JK, enjoys the protection of a cabal of journos who clearly know who this nasty entity is.

Perhaps Greg Moodie should ask the police to investigate as this sordid affair is now threatening his livelihood. How many others will be “destroyed” before this person is outed?

Thanks to Rev Stu and Derek Bateman for shining a light into this dark little universe. A crowdfunder welcome if needed.

I will support those who stand up to bullies. Bullying is an abuse of power. Abuse of power is what has characterised the ongoing string of scandals associated with the British establishment. Abuse of power is what has characterised the despicable treatment of Scotland’s representatives at Westminster by the various tory parties. Threatening someone with legal action – in the knowledge that it is a luxury that only the rich can afford – is an act of bullying; an abuse of the power that derives from wealth.

I hope that those who bully and those who support them will come to their senses and start behaving like decent human beings.

He “claims” to be in his early 40s with a daughter aged about 5 or 6ish and his mum and sister are both nurses. He always refers to his daughter as “the wean.” He appears to be from the Glasgow area, possibly east, like Coatbridge, Airdrie or thereabouts.

Ring any bells? Anyone know any journalists or political hanger oners who fit this description?

The best way to deal with Ms Trolling is to block her, along with her nasty little gang of sockpuppets and “fans”. Starve her of attention and she’ll have to go back to annoying the neighbours by trimming her bush.

If the donation by the MSP was for one pound would that be acceptable to JK Rowling I wonder ?
She has no come back without being perceived as a bully
Has she nothing better to do with her time?
Money cant buy happiness

Mon Jamie it’s been over an hoor noo
The Rev helped ye and took the post doon.
Naebody else will see it noo.
Dae ye need a Wee bit help son.
Try typin.
I’m really sorry I upset everyone with my post,it was on reflection a really stupid thing to do.
Ofcourse I did not really mean to have the whole thread about me and now that its gone (thank you Rev )I hope we can all move on and forget it.
Ye wull find that wull dae the trick son.

Just thinking about the “apparent” attempt at blackmail by Joanne. I was wondering why would an M.P. from a Scottish constituency make a donation to a *ahem* charity that does NOT operate in SCOTLAND! 😉

JK Rowland ‘outed’ as being a total hypocrite and the ultimate bully. Constantly banging on about disgusting Cybernats and yet HER number ONE Twitter friend must rank as being one of the most obnoxious online. Using her wealth, cabal of (so-called) friends and 6.6 million social media followers to hound someone who pointed out a home truth is just beyond the pale. Way beyond. If she had any decency at all she would be hanging her head in shame and apologising to Nicola McGarry.

There’s something strangely lacking with her. Seems that she just wants millions of people to tell her how wonderful she is ….. step out of line and she’ll unleash the dogs. Typical narcissist.

I’m loathe to say this in a way but as I see it the only positive in all of this is that it doesn’t matter how much money she makes she’ll never be happy. No sense of inner contentment. Obsesses, in her own words, about mortality. No doubt terrified of kicking the bucket and losing the ultimate control. So very sad.

Meanwhile we’re faced with people and groups like her using their power to gag individuals and the Press. Will this end with amendment of the current Defamation Law in Scotland? We can only hope so. Until that time we will all be keeping a closer eye on JKR and her cronies now and they won’t like that. Far from it in fact.

Wee ginger dug has something to say about this subject. I’m on my IPad right now so can’t post … if it hasn’t been posted on here already.

Really good article, Stu. I do think Rowling’s done us all a huge favour without her realising though. Thanks to her, any time a unionist tries to talk nonsense about ‘cybernats’ being offensive all we now need to do is go cough #Spanner# cough and that should be an end to the matter. I reckon we should start typing #Spannerism #hilarious after everything we write too, that way we should get full anonymity from the press and no criticism from unionists because, you know, he’s does ‘hilarious satire’ and no one seems to want to out him! ?

Jamie @ 7.19 – are YOU Spanner? Wrap that crap – no one here wants to read that sort of nonsense.

@Clan Donald
“He “claims” to be in his early 40s with a daughter aged about 5 or 6ish and his mum and sister are both nurses. He always refers to his daughter as “the wean.”
Nah. Couldn’t possibly be.
I mean, how is it possible for a father of a small child to use a reference to Female Genital Mutilation – a most horrendous mutilation perpetrated on young girls, (even allowing for cultural sensitivities), many of whom no doubt suffer disfiguration, excruciating pain, not to mention sepsis leading to illness and death, just to take a cheap shot for the amusement of his fawning sycophants.

It can’t possibly be that person, because Spanner is, I have it on good authority, “terrific” and a maker of “witty quips”, and even “hilarious”, and to use the suffering perpetrated on young children in order to wave your willy online would mark the man out as a crass, insensitive boor, and thick.

Is it in fact sacrosanct? Or is it only available to the peddlers of lies in the press and those wealthy enough to avoid any criticism which if offered is decried as “abuse”.

The majority it seems to me can offer no criticism, only abuse if you believe the rags. The connected, the establishment are the only ones ones deemed worthy of making it into print. So as you, I and the rest of the great unwashed can be educated into their way of thinking.

Hahaha, you’ve got to laugh. We may be the great unwashed but are nowhere near as manky or smelly as those that lie daily in their paper rags. They stink to high heaven.

That’s why we are winning and they are mega depressed, hahaha again, the journalists are frothing at the mouth, they know they have lost all credibility, nobody cares to read their dross even their last remaining supporters have had enough.

Citizen journalism is winning, winning by a country mile. I’d rather read the posters here than any of the their ScUM trash any day of the week. After May 2016 I suspect there will be many retirals both political and journalistic. Good riddance, take Mr Spanner with you.

Maybe she has a drink problem. It has been known to make some people aggressive. It may explain poor judgement in whom you like. Perhaps the term Jakie is in fact the right one. Perhaps the choice of soubriquet was a witty word allusion in the first place.

There is not another single outlet other out there with your balls, intelligence, integrity and nouse.

Maybe if Ponsonby, Duguid and Munguin joined Bella or if WGD, Moodie and Llaland’s PW got together, we could have another couple of outlets with comparable capabilities but for one man to possess all those is truly remarkable.

First some context. Reading down below the line on this issue moves one to observe a traditional maxim that actions speak louder than words. But perhaps that’s just the way I happen to think.

Moving on, one is further moved to observe that any reasonable person would view the situation of this author publicly seeking to persuade this independent MP, in the context and circumstances which have been described, to contribute to a particular charity as it has been defined, ie a crude attempt at blackmail.

This brings a further observation to mind that this is doing the said charity no favours whatsoever. Indeed, a reasonable person might well consider that if the said charity has not already done so that it might well be the duty of the said reasonable person or even persons (bearing in mind the contextual observation made above) to contact the said charity to remind the said charity of its legal responsibilities under the law that it has a duty to publicly refuse to accept a donation made under such circumstances and, again publicly, disassociate itself from the actions and the individual seeking to “benefit” the said charity by such means.

Which leads to a related observation that failure of the said charity to do so might well lead a reasonable person or persons to submit an appropriate complaint to the Charity Commission (under the Scottish Law Section) via the Charity Commissions Web site.

It may also be worth observing (again within the context of the initial observation above) that a reasonable person or persons may well understand that, the above observations notwithstanding, it is or should be the duty and responsibility of all responsible citizens to report to the relevant constabulary authorities any action by another individual or entity (such as say, a charity for the sake of argument) which that person or persons genuinely understand as constituting a criminal act (such as say, for the sake of argument, blackmail).

Which begs the question of whether or not there are any reasonable people about at the moment?

Lesley-Anne Wikipedia outlines that she also withdrew her support from the Multiple Sclerosis Society in Scotland in April 2009. Loves Scotland? Professes to care for the poor and suffering? Lumos deals with children in Europe … in the main Eastern Europe. What’s she been doing for the hundreds of thousands of Scottish children that are living in abject poverty? Or is it just a case of wanting to ‘Lord’ or ‘Lady’ it over the Scots? Sees herself as Mary Queen of Scots11?

“newspapers can say what they like about anyone, because they are unlikely to be sued by someone lacking the same resources.”

But people at least have recourse to the likes of IPSO, which while feeble can establish falsehood at no cost, at which point you can bang off a lawyer’s letter and be fairly confident of getting a settlement.

Hamish 100 @8.10pm I can assure you hamish 100 my post was not meant to be a diversion and i certainly do not consider it to be pathetic, i read WOS every day, and have seen every day people posting Off Topics. I thought obviously mistakenly that my sorry OT would have indicated that i felt the subject DC lying as usual and Tusk obfuscating may have been of interest, again obviously from your point of view not. I have posted my views on this site, re remaining in the EU on a few occasions, but from your posting it appears that you do not encourage opinions or views from Scottish people who want out of the corrupt EU. I vehemently object to the so called elitist cadre being able to silence and vilify opinions and to threaten and bully objectors on this we at least agree.My comments reflect the bitterness and hatred i feel for the corrupt westminster and european governments who seek to hold the working poor in servitude

Perhaps, Onward, but I would postulate that she has always been a nasty woman and before that a nasty child. She has just become less protective of her real nature in direct proportion to her increase in wealth.

She seems to have a nature that my wise old Granny would describe as, “Suffering frae the daised wean syndrome”. In my entire life I have never met a spoiled child who, in adulthood was happy nor one who wasn’t, if given the chance, a bully.

I read that one and decided to pass on the rest. I think another reading of the same outcome was that the judge let the festival go ahead and did not ask them to desist. The report I read said that the people involved were delighted with the outcome and said that the “don’t do it again” bit was fine with them as they did a different theme every year.

I guess in retrospect Rowling could see that the whole thing looked shabby and graceless and felt a need to justify it.

None of this stops the films and books being fun but JK won’t be the first author I would rather know less about…and probably not the last.

I wonder if Ruth Davidson will raise Spannergate at FMQs to demand Nicola Sturgeon condemn Natalie McGarry and the cybernats for their disgraceful Tweets towards Spanner and Rowling? Lol

I wonder if Ruth Davidson knows the true identity of this Spanner character (her being a follower of Spanner on Twitter n’at, ye know?)?

@ Liz:

“Are you going to need a MASSIVE crowdfund?

After the revelations of Rowlings Online friendship with the cowardly, misogynistic Tweeter, and her attempt at trying to bully and intimidate one of our elected representatives into silence over it, I don’t think suing WOS would be a good reputation builder. I’m sure Stu will have had their Tweets well collated and documented before they got the chance to delete them.

She probably sits and reads the posts on here (like yours and mine), won’t appreciate being ‘outed’ and finding out that more and more people absolutely detest her. Right now in a narcissistic rage ….. next move big headlines ”JKR to help thousands of poor Scottish children.” I could put a bet on it.

Lesley Anne @ 9.38
Had a quick look at that charity link you posted.
Found it surprising that there are 75 employes but no volunteer’s.
I’ve always been under the impression that charity’s were mainly made up of volunteers.
It does make me wonder how many others are the same.
Has this always been the case?….anyone
And I also find it disturbing that this charity apparently the concept of a committed unionist operates seemingly for the benift of only one of the Countries in the Union,that makes no sense to me…..but what do I know.

I think that like all famous people she has the usual hangers on who won’t criticise her for fear of losing their cash cow.

Suddenly she found a group of people as needy and desperate for credibility as her. Here’s looking at you Raging Kevin. They listen and retweet her simpering nonsense and she thinks she’s got a wee gang at last. Unfortunately they are mostly bereft of any emotional intelligence and sadly they are using her to bathe in her reflected glory.

Everything I have heard about her screams needy and desperate for attention. No one remembers her at school or Uni. The Galbraith books were struggling until it was leaked who had written them. It is all very sad.

I wonder if the “spanner” that is Jeff will be along to ask “How deep are your pockets while outlining how the law in libel cases works” lol.

As for the Rangers story I too wish they would bugger off to England ,taking the other erse cheek with them who after all are the only club in Scotland I know of who have mentioned doing such a thing in the last 3 months.

OT
Moray Council had a go, and Glasgow are cutting staff conditions. As has been said, Councils are the last stronghold of Labour, and I expect to see some increasing politics from them during the election campaign.

A few people have mentioned billions of reserves and though I have only checked these two councils, it looks like total reserves for the 32 unitary authorities may well be £2 billion, maybe £3 billion.

For those of us that post in mainstream media forums, it’s easy to find those reserves to contrast with total expenditure, it’ll be near the beginning of reports either in executive summaries or at least a couple of paragraphs or diagrams near the beginning.

To find audited accounts just google “Glasgow audited accounts 2014-15” and away you go, there’s a pdf (substitute any authority for Glasgow).

There can be no answer from spanners to facts rammed down their throats.

Retroactive moderation allows a certain speed of conversation in online fora but it’s worth remembering that the owner of the platform has a responsibility to remove illegal posts once they are made aware of them.

Rather than “Spanner” futiley deleting tweets in order to prevent them being presented in court as evidence it’s possible he ws ordered to do so or had it done for him. Especially as said deletions were followed by a spate of appologies.

Removing posts from public view in order to deny you made them is pointless when there are backups that if it should go to court the carrier will be legaly obliged to produce. Something that those engaging in blackmail may well know.

I wouldn’t have written about a Rangers director liking the “Billy Boys”. Just tittle tattle and adding nothing to resolving the Old Firm bigotry. Angela Taggerty then led with her chin.

I feel sorry for Natalie McGarry, she must have had an awful fright when JKR reacted as she did. It is for the elders to guide, and tolerate the sometimes rashness of the younger generation, not to threaten them with your power.

Upon death, you leave your wealth and power behind, your integrity goes with you.

‘Ahundredthidiot’ can speak for himself, but that quote is just too good to miss.

There aren’t many daily newspapers available in Scotland, and very few (nationally at any rate) which can claim any serious production stakes inside the country.

There is only one of those very few which claims to support independence, and it declares as much on its masthead.

You have vilified everyone who works for, buys, or otherwise supports The National at every opportunity since its launch. You have stated that the only circumstances in which you will ever buy The National is if Rev Stu Campbell is given responsibility for every headline and leading article.

Newspapers, as we know them, will not exist much longer. But so long as they do, and are still bought and read here in Scotland, the very fact that only ONE is prepared to openly support independence speaks volumes about Press ownership, broader mainstream-media control, and the basic tenets of what we understand to be ‘journalism’.

But that’s one too many for you. You would prefer it didn’t exist.

Isn’t that right?

You contribute nothing to understanding of that landscape, and never have. You provide nothing realistic by way of an alternative, while claiming to be Rev’s greatest-ever fan.

Can only agree with the first post – this is one of your best posts yet. And should be read in the context of a long history and loads of literature covering similar themes.

As someone who mostly writes fiction (and to nowhere near the success of JKR) I’d love to be able to write a 1984 or Brave New World about the experiences I’ve had since the referendum campaign started, but instead I’ve pretty much stopped writing, because I can’t express it in any way that does it justice. One day maybe…but I think it takes a great writer to do properly explore the theme.

Bizarrely, JKR came quite close with the whole dark “ministry of magic stuff” but appears to lack the critical facility to realist which side she’s falling on.

In 2012 and beyond when I used to post in the Grun, one thing I posted a few times is that there was nobody my superior, nobody better than me, nor anybody more powerful, because I was one of 5.31 million Scots, or if you like, one of 65 Million citizens of the UK. And nobody less powerful etc.

Crowd-sourced funding of litigation makes this true, for the first time in history.

TOTALLY CORRECT – what is needed now is steely determination and the ability to rebuff both friends who ‘don’t get it’ and enemies who do and are trying to distract us

Get the vote in May 5th 2016 SNP X 2.
Vote for to remain in the EU Summer 2016.
Get the vote in May 4th 2017 SNP.
Campaign for Ref2 in 2018.
Get the vote in Summer 2019.
Scotland Independent 2020.
Revision of Scots Law.

“If the donation by the MSP was for one pound would that be acceptable to JK Rowling I wonder ?

I think it may be the case that the value of the donation is of little relevance compared to the smug satisfaction a bully would get at showing the world the complete and utter capitulation to her whims by one of Scotland’s elected representatives. Otherwise, why demand it?

JK Rowling rose from a position of being poor, weak and underprivileged, to a position of immeasurable wealth, power and privilege.

She could do what I could only dream of doing if I won a fortune on the Euromillions, that is stand up for the poor, weak and underprivileged against those of wealth, power and privilege, who abuse that position for their own selfish purposes.

..I do think Rowling’s done us all a huge favour without her realising though. Thanks to her, any time a unionist tries to talk nonsense about ‘cybernats’ being offensive all we now need to do is go cough #Spanner# cough and that should be an end to the matter..
———

Yep. Empty words from now on.
The Queen Yoon herself has helped with that.

Hopefully we can all move on to actual debate from now on.. instead of dismal, two-faced rants about who said something rude on social media.

You put yourself on the line for the sake of our national movement, for truth and to break down the structures that are holding us back. Although Ms Rowling’s lawyers will be all over this thread it is you who personally put yourself out there.

With regards to the matter at hand, I wonder if there is any difference in law between demanding someone donates to your own charity under threat of litigation and simply demanding someone hands you a sum of cash under threat of litigation?

Someone above mentioned the contrast between the treatment of Neil Hay and the abusive anonymous commenter(s) who operate the spanner twitter account. Anyone wishing to understand the media in Scotland need look no further.

One member of the public who aspired to be an SNP MP is crucified by the Scottish media for a few fairly innocuous tweets from an anonymous account. It costs him the election.

Prominent millionaire unionist Rowling’s online friend is many, many times more offensive again and again over a period of years and the Scottish media circles the wagons and attacks a brave SNP MP who had the temerity to challenge prominent unionist on her association.

Remember Paul Hutcheon’s pathetic tweet trying to establish what the G in G A Ponsonby stood for? Where is the investigative zeal to unearth the truth here?

A security guy from Hope over Fear doesn’t give Paul the VIP treatment and he’s on it like a car bonnet. JK Rowling’s best mate online turns out to be an anonymous mysoginistic abusive troll and Paul’s washing his hair that night. Pathetic.

We will outlast the unionist media in Scotland friends. The only press we have are glorified election leaflet producers (and far too many of them for a country this size).

Some great comments on the last few threads- some of the old hands seem to be getting a new lease of life of late.

@liz g said “Found it surprising that there are 75 employes but no volunteer’s.
I’ve always been under the impression that charity’s were mainly made up of volunteers.
It does make me wonder how many others are the same.
Has this always been the case?….anyone”

I’ve been involved in quite a few charities over the years and although they usually rely on volunteers most of them employ teams of staff. Not one of them ever donated a penny to charity.

For example, if you give money to a medical charity they may employ full time nurses to care for patients in the community or at a hospice. Or they may employ scientists to undertake research. Other charities might employ qualified youth or play workers.

Many theatres and arts organisations are charities too and will employ full time staff to carry out their charitable activities. They won’t usually make grant payments or donations to third parties. They will probably have volunteers too.

I’m not trying to make excuses for Rowling’s charity, I just don’t think that the fact that it employs lots of staff is particularly controversial. I’d be more interested in finding out what those staff actually do and whether or not their activities benefit the wider community, whether medically, socially, educationally or culturally.

Jk was brought up in a middle class family. Her father was an engineer. She was only poor for a couple of years due to a marriage breakdown. She chose to live alone in Edinburgh when she moved to Scotland. There are degrees of poverty. She was never genuinely poverty stricken. Her parents could have baled her out. She went down the social scale by choice and look where she went after that. Just your average council flat rags to riches… My ferkin erse.

Sorry folks but I’ve been enjoying a couple of wines of glasses tonight 😀

Petra says:
2 February, 2016 at 10:27 pm

@ Lesley-Anne @ 9:39pm …..

She probably sits and reads the posts on here (like yours and mine), won’t appreciate being ‘outed’ and finding out that more and more people absolutely detest her. Right now in a narcissistic rage ….. next move big headlines ”JKR to help thousands of poor Scottish children.” I could put a bet on it.

To be honest Petra if that DID happen I would feel exhonerated and over the moon that our needy youngsters were getting some help.

liz g says:
2 February, 2016 at 10:30 pm

Lesley Anne @ 9.38Had a quick look at that charity link you posted.
Found it surprising that there are 75 employes but no volunteer’s.
I’ve always been under the impression that charity’s were mainly made up of volunteers.

To be honest Liz THAT is not the worst bit!

Have you checked out page 41 of the annual accounts reportfor 2014 yet?

The “charity” raised £3,204,192 in income and spent £3,815,400 of which £1,864,427 was spent on salries including one of £70,000 – £80,000 and one of £90,000-£100,000. So over 58% of their spending is spent on SALARIES for CHARITY!!!

Man that wine was good. 😀

I’ve just realised why Joanne is harranging the SNP MP for a donation. The charit raised £3,204,192 but SPENT £3,815,400. 😀

If you fancy a discussion about this stuff (fiction, esp relating to what’s going on etc) then please come over to O/T.

We can do so without nicking one another’s ‘ideas’, and perhaps create new ones into the bargain.

😉

Times are changing fast, and Jakey represents the pinnacle of a bogus, jaded, heartless (and profoundly talentless) incestuous cadre of cultural commissars who have been getting away with it for far too long.

What do I mean by ‘it’?

Come to O/T and we can discuss it all (but only in-between posting dodgy YT music videos!).

I posted days ago that at least one of her tweets could be an admission she either was Spanner or one of a group who take turns at using the account. She has already used a male identity as a nom de guerre.

I somehow get the impression Jaykay has perhaps suffered writer’s block and shied away from further Harry Potter novels. Then made her attempt to publish a more adult fiction and only managed to sell the work on the strength of her reputation. By all accounts it was rather mediocre.

This could be the reason for her increasingly abrasive persona and apparent unhappiness.

The Rangers and Rowling incidents of recent times highlight the reality that exists Scotland /UK..that the British/unionists are claiming exceptionalism for their stance. They are definitely bullies-one one hand muscling people with power and influence but on the other hand crying fowl every time something does not go in their favour.

My favourite incident was the infamous Nicky versus the Bruiser debate where the latter resorted to pleading to Rhona to get him off the ropes.

But his is just one example. The general phenomenon of trying to paint the independence supporters/ leaders as fanatics/cyberbullies/fascist dictator du jour (play the Steves Bingo for that) is another manifestation of the cry wolf side of the union billy bully. All in all their is ahuge whiff of cognative dissonance going

At the end I think they will come to regret their stance. By prolonging the exposure they risk a striesland effect taking hold. Secondly , to fair minded folk, bully does not come off in a good light. There I would say that this will be worth a few more turns to support independence at the end of the day, and that is what we are aiming at

JK, what can I say, I am lost for words at the p**s this lady comes out with.
Look at me , I’ve got lots of money and can say and do what I want !
Is this not a sad and pathetic attitude of someone who has made her wealth from us mere mortals, personally never read any of her books but if I had a fire , I am sure they would be good for getting it started.
I don’t do Facebook and Twitter but there must be a way to call this loon to account, bully’s only know one thing and that is a very big taste of their own medicine.

I cringed when I had seen filthy rich celebrities and politicians emerge from Les Miserables. They are moved and teary eyed and invigorated by good overcoming evil.

The tale itself reveals the injustice of the sick and hungry being forced to break the law in order to try and exist, and the inhuman punishment imposed by the laws of the ruling classes.

How stupid and short sighted not to see the comparisons between their laws and lives in today’s society.
For over 50 years the gap between rich and poor has grown wider.
Truth and Justice belongs only to those with the money to buy it.

Yes jk has a very strong and dedicated following – add to that the unionist movement who use her as a political pawn.
I remember commenting on her comments pre-indy ref on the scotsman forums (gave up long ago). I made the comment about her talent as an author not necessarily carrying over to economics. It wasn’t abusive but oh lord, I was set upon by the wolves. All of a sudden I was being abusive about a defenceless single mum…

This is why you can’t fight the good clean fight against such individuals. Whether it’s her or the city of london or any other corrupt establishment individual or organisation.

Paula
Always have been a big Ursula K.LG fan.
‘The Dispossessed’ was a masterful (mistressful?) inculcation of how a political ideology could be culturally incorporated. I saw parallels with the language constructs she used in that with in-built concepts of possession in the Gaelic language.

Clan Donald @ 11.15
Thanks for your reply I didn’t think that particular charity was uniquely not using volunteers,and I do understand that employees are necessary.
I have worked closely with charities in the past to.They always had a large elements of volunteers and ..I don’t know why….. but I was surprised to learn of a charity that didn’t so just wondered if this was either new or usual.

Lesley Anne @ 11.21
Don’t know about the wine but “in the name o the Wee man ” you’re good.
How on earth can anyone earn those amounts helping out kids?
Whit are they actually doing?
Doubt even a surgeon would earn that much???

That is why I just loved adopting the whole cybernat thing Robert. By actually adopting the term and using effectively against the yoons we were actually showing them that we didn’t give a damn. WE were fighting for something far much bigger than a stupid name. In fact Hazel Lewry actually sang a song about us. 😀

Thing is Liz after subtracting the upper limit of the two specified salaries (£70000 – £80000 and £90000 – £100000) you are left with £1684427. Now assuming our two impressive salaried individuals, £180,000 max, then we end up with an average salary for the other 73 staff of £23,074.

To me that is a lot of money to be paying a charity but hey ho. Of course there is one very important proviso here. Not everyone will be receiving the average wage so … 😀

Whilst not missing the point being made, and being made well, I have to wonder at the comparison between a reporter supporting her persecuted colleague being sacked and an MP making what appears to be an unwarranted, fairly public, attack on someone being threatened with legal action.

Natalie McGarry may be right in what she says, and you present her case well, but why did she need to say it at all ?

Had Ms Rowling upset her ? Was she feeling lonely since resigning the whip ? Had she just got out of bed on the wrong side ?

Ms Rowlings position on independence is well know and her money and position gives her more power in the debate than she should have but c’est la vie. We should, as this site suggests “play the ball and not the man”. For me Ms McGarry appears to have failed miserably here and, if that is the case, deserves what she got.

The wider point of this article is well made and important, just a pity it will be lost in the detail

Lesley Anne @ 12.37
The mind boggles….
Must admit I have always had my doubts about large charity’s and how they actually operate.
One off the top of my head is Dog Rescue ones they seem very professional and huge amounts of money are involved but homeless dog numbers seem to go up and up,sureley given the professionalism and resources the opposite should be true?
Same with medical research ones if peoples donations have paid for the scientists finding the cure then will you be charged the full amount for receiving it???
The more I see of charity’s the more they look like business.
Maybe that’s something else that Indy could give us the opportunity to medicine.Though I’d still want the leagal system looked at first

Oh well done you. It needed said. They are bullies, but their shrinking landmass on which they balance is drawing them all together for support, and like some bullies they’re getting worse because they’re insecure.

I too miss Iain Banks.

As for Spanner, I had always thought it might be Daisley’s kind of humour – humour not in what he was saying but taking fun in poking us with a stick.

@ Big Jock at 11:18pm ….. She chose to live alone when she moved to Scotland …

You’re right Big Jock she came from a middle-class family .. father an engineer for Rolls Royce … mother a lab technician. When her marriage broke up she headed for Edinburgh to initially stay with her only, younger, sibling … Dianne a lawyer married to Roger Moore owner of .. surprise, surprise .. a cafe ((Nicolsons). At some point in time, it’s said, she had her own place and was on benefits. Shortly thereafter her first book was sold. Rags to riches Mmmh!

Last post ‘shortly thereafter’ should read three and a half years! Some interesting data too, on the web, from her ex-husband Arantes who says that she started writing HP when she was still living with him in Portugal.

Rowling comes across as a really odious piece. But that is the way of people like her with super wealth. It is of course no coincidence that she is very Pro Brit Anti Independent fence because these are traits that go together. Foljs, or at least ordinary decent folks will recognise her for what she is and how she behaves. A super rich individual whose only claim to success was to be overpaid for writing some good magic stories.

I’ve got three badges with pride of place on the bedside cabinet. My YES badge, a Wings name badge from last May’s Glasgow meet and WGD badge courtesy of TMITJ. They get a wee polish every other day and they’re just waiting for the next referendum to see action again, though my YES key fob gets yanked oot on a daily basis (cough).

……. ”If this is a policy decided in a focus group, then Labour need to go to Specsavers because this policy isn’t focussed at all. Just how are local authorities going to identify the lowest paid taxpayers in order to refund them the money that Labour has clawed out of their pay packet? Labour doesn’t know.

How much is it going to cost to administer this process and how long will it take for the systems to be put in place? Labour doesn’t know.

Is this money not going to count as income in the eyes of the Inland Revenue and be subject to tax, so it might not really be £100 after all? Labour doesn’t know.

Will any money raised by Holyrood to make up the cuts imposed by Westminster merely provoke a further reduction in the block grant? Labour doesn’t know.

Will Labour in Scotland raise taxes on Scotland’s low and middle earners every time that their former Tory allies cut the block grant? Labour won’t say.

Scotland’s voters do know. They know that Labour is clueless and inept. They’ll have their say on Labour’s Better Together Tax in May.”

An elderly couple live in the house now but some locals reckon it’s been repurchased by JKR.

‘The Rowling family moved out of the house in 1995, a couple of years before the first Harry Potter book, The Philosopher’s Stone, was released.

It was then sold again on August 24 last year for £399,950, with the buyer paying cash and no mortgage involved.

Land Registry data shows the current owner is a company called Caernarfon Lettings Limited, but who is involved in this organisation is a mystery to local people, who believe Ms Rowling’s charity Volant Charitable Trust may be behind the purchase.

This suggestion is given substantial weight by the fact that the Land Registry lists Edinburgh-based Turcan Connell Solicitors as looking after the interests of Caernarfon Lettings Limited.

Turcan Connell is not only based in Ms Rowling’s home city, but is also listed on the European Union trademark database as owning the trademark of the Volant Charitable Trust. This charity was set up by Ms Rowling in July 2009 and its directors meet each year to allocate funds to good causes.

The main areas it provides cash to is multiple sclerosis research. Ms Rowling’s mother, Anne, died from the illness after a long battle.

A spokesman for the Volant Charitable Trust would not say whether or not it had been involved in the purchase.’

I am an AULD cynic and I think the tendency of the day is that some people seem to think they “should” say what they think, no matter the consequences. Truth or not, why say something which is going to hurt someone if you’ve no reason to say it. Particular in a public arena.

What I can’t see is why Ms McGarry decided to say what she did when she did. She clearly doesn’t like Ms Rowling and that’s hardly a surprise but why attack her personally at this time ?

If she made the decision that Ms Rowling needed outed on this then I would have expected an intelligent woman like her to be prepared for the feedback and be able to point to the evidence rather than have you do it for her.

The influence of the rich and powerful on our media is a huge issue. You highlight it well here but I don’t think The original tweet from Ms McGarry is a great way to get into the discussion. Just my view.

Interesting, usually communities put up blue plaques to mark the original homes of authors, musicians and other famous folk. Perhaps the lady is planning to put up a plaque to herself. Charge tour fees.

Spot on; I had Brainless Spammer himself have a go at me yesterday. When I (politely) mocked his feeble attempts as being petty & pathetic, after 2 tweets he disappeared like snaw aff a dyke. One of his mates was more tenacious, but he too gave up when given the same treatment.

I don’t know how to link to the specific exchange, but you can see it on my timeline @RabMacPhoto.

It has been asked why the National does not print any of the unionist troll’s exchanges. I believe the clue to that is in the word “Unionist”. The Glasgow Herald was a bastion of the West of Scotland Establishment and the present tribute act is trying to preserve that mantle.
The company is trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds but unfortunately for them this situation is compounded by the advertisers holding the whip hand as became evident last week.
Leopards and sots also spring to mind.

” … A super rich individual whose only claim to success was to be overpaid for writing some good magic stories.”

What good magic stories might they be, Willie?

I must have missed that news there were new magic stories out there. None of the old ones were good magic stories – are you perhaps confusing good with popular with, (mainly), youngsters?

You know those same youngsters, and their parents, who find sugary sweets and deserts, “Good”, or meals at McDonald’s, “Good”.

The same parents and children burdening our SNHS with increasingly greater problems with obese children and adults eating far too many, “good”, things.

I have to confess to never having read these, “good”, magic stories but did attempt to watch the films that they led to. None of them ever managed to hold my interest for very long. Not my cup of tea at all.

Now it’s not because I don’t do fantasy novels. I read English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, (Lewis Carroll’s), Alice stories as a child, as a teen and as an adult. I enjoyed all such in a different manner at each reading for they were cleverly written and well thought out.

Rowling, as an author, is less than mediocre and her work lacks any real depths.

The National does have an article on freedom of speech and the press though, by Michael Gray.

“Reject the insidious pressures in society that would blunt your critical faculties to all that is happening around you, that would caution silence in the face of injustice lest you jeopardise your chances of promotion and self-advancement,” (Jimmy)Reid said.

“Bernie Sanders is known to many for taking on Hillary Clinton in a bid to become the Democratic candidate in next year’s race for the White House. But his brother has been fighting a political battle of his own in the UK.
Larry Sanders sounds pretty cheerful for a person who recently lost an election.”

It looks pretty clear that Scottish politics has and continues to be examined very carefully here and in the US. Corbyn seems to be going left and trying to pull Lab left. Same as Bernie Sanders with the Democrats. World stage conservatives like Abbott and Clinton, slide out the door having waffle garbage about Scotland.

Your report on the Rowling charidy and high pay staff with nothing in Scotland is doing really the rounds here too.

How’s the head:D

PS. Other threads of UK/US watching each other, Larry Sanders was also a terrific US tv satire on tv and giant egos, like our ghastly NON defender of ferocious UKOK misogynists up there, m’lud.

hmmm i see we are a cult again must be nazi`s turn next or maybe those infamous nazi communists.

Dear better together it didnt work last time and its not going to work this time,but do please continue as we are having fun watching you forget about all the lies you told during the indyref and stumbling over them one by one.

What you didnt know that was what the indyref was for to expose your sheer hypocrisy,the fact we nearly won was just the icing on the cake,waking up our people now that was important,so thanks for being complicate dolts to our cause you eejits.

And we will see you on the political battlefield where we are going to give you a right old kicking politically of course.

I seem to remember reading the publicity surrounding this woman that she had escaped an abusing husband to live in Edinburgh where she wrote her little stories in a café where she had coffee daily, well or so her Publicity Machine said. Well as someone with a Gran who also escaped an abusing Husband with her kids, not for her the life of Riley, she had to find work.
So the Abused has become the Abuser, says much about her character. She really wants to get out of the house more and get a life. She has enough money to do so, unlike the rest of us.

“What I can’t see is why Ms McGarry decided to say what she did when she did. She clearly doesn’t like Ms Rowling and that’s hardly a surprise but why attack her personally at this time ?

Nah! Auldcynic, That you can’t see why Ms McGarry decided to say is because you are an obvious Unionist troll.

The rest of us can see that Ms McGarry, is a democratically elected MP who, correctly, is concerned that this evil woman, Rowling, is on rather friendly, and quite possibly personally acquainted with, the very abusive and misogynistic tweeter known as Spanner QC who seems to be particularly abusive to (a)- female; (b)- Scottish; (c) – political; (d) – (mainly), non-Tory por-independence people.

Is seems to have slipped your cynical notice that Ms McGarry was elected to represent all her constituents but is herself a female, political, anti-Unionist person. As such she has a duty to stand up for attacks upon others. She was elected to represent the views of others.

She is, thus, just doing her job. Now tell me, what is Ms Rowling doing and who is she representing?

Remember folks, The National and Sunday Herald have an overlord called Editor-in-Chief, who happens to be the editor of The Herald. So they only have a certain amount of rope to play with. Neil Mackay’s superior is Magnus Llewellin, he who must be obeyed when it’s called for.

The issue with Rowling is rather simplistic. Imagine going from zero cash to a £1 billion in a few years. Imagine the new friends all trying to out do each other to impress you and gain your favour. They introduce you to their social circles mainly in entertainment where can be found the most outrageous of characters. You are feted and made to feel invincible, loved and almost above everyday aspects of life.

She has become hedonistic and wallows in her own glory and position,little realising that if it all disappeared tomorrow she would be swiftly dumped and return to being ordinary and alone. In fact she is being used by a plethora of Uriah Heep personalities all too ready to indulge and prompt outrageous behaviour for their own ends. Sad really.

It is an illusion that has become her reality. Lord help her. (The only one in her life just now is Voldemort) and his minions who corrupt from the inside.

As a psychologist once said to me about Joanne Rowling, JK Rowling, Robert Galbraith of whatever other names she’s made up for herself, (anyone capable of creating such a complex imaginary world to retreat into, has serious insecurity issues with the real world she inhabits. These insecurities also manifest themselves through the deployment of her “small island” of lawyers at anyone who does not treat her as the Saint she feels she is.

It is very sad to watch the demise of good journalism which is fearless and fair to all. Many terrible things would not have been brought into the open without fearless hacks who worked hard and dug and dug into the evidence -long time ago. It would seem now that money is the mighty ruler and newspaper journalists have brought this on themselves by their bias and lack of questioning in many areas and now the buying public simply don’t believe them so newspapers going to the wall. JKR is a dangerous bully and should be held to account but no one has the money to take her on – right and justice do not count anymore – sad state of affairs.

Well said. On the bright side it would appear that some people with integrity have moved away from the mass media and are using the internet to great avail.
Rumour has it that a Blogger in Bath does a good job.

It’s also worth noting that Natalie McGarry has been the focus of unbelievable abuse going back a couple of years.

There was a concerted effort to trash her when she first stood for election in Cowdenbeath. Her personal life has been poured over endlessly so perhaps she has more experience than most of abuse.

When first elected she made a point of highlighting the cosy ‘boys club’ atmosphere that existed between political journos and MPs, making it clear she wanted no part of it. This is perhaps where some of the vitriol comes from.

That added to the absolutely rabid Glasgow Slab hatred of her for ousting Curran means she is in a vulnerable position.

O/T what a ridiculous man that KH is. I like a good graph as much as anyone but the best graphs are the simplest and they enhance the argument, they do not become the argument. It really is like an episode of ‘The Thick of It’.

Dear God! I’m listening to that numptie, Cameron, in parliament just now. The number of times the badly educated person uses the terms Britain and British when he is referring to only the United Kingdom gets worse with every utterance he makes in public.

Is there no one in Parliament with the bravery to point out to Cameron he is PM of the UK not Britain? Is it Cameron’s own wishful thinking, bad Establishment propaganda or just sheer English stupidity?

Is it Cameron’s own wishful thinking, bad Establishment propaganda or just sheer English stupidity?

I heard that PMQ’s Cammers boost for our country, independent, proud, free, luverly. Then you recall the full on BBC style Project Fear fury that toryboy world launched across their Scotland region, Cammers begging Scotland to vote NO because he really weally loves us, shysters at the Record historic The Vow fraud at the end of their losing Project Fear, and they won and next day Cammers on the No 10 doorstep 19 Sept 2014, fuck the sweaties, its time for England and EVEL.

Its a toryboy UKOK world and that’s why any back chat from non toryboys gets stamped on by super rich Britnat goons.

Yes, exactly. She’s been one of the ones targetted by Spanner in the past before she closed down her twitter account last time and I remember him gleefully saying something along the lines of ‘oh look Natalie McGarry is back on twitter’ about the time she defended accusations against Dr Whitford – and Spanner was one of the worst in attacking Dr Whitford for supposedly working a second job. I’m really sorry Natalie had to face this and the salt rubbed into my wound of annoyance about it was reading him later say something along the lines of ‘he almost felt sorry for McGarry for she’d been thrown under a bus by her own lot’ – for me there is too much truth in that, especially considering he’s been given a free pass to continue riding that bloody bus by his disgusting supporters who continue cheering him on and the media bystanders stand silent.

Whoever Spanner is, on looking at his past tweets he works it like a job, never on too early in the morning and never on much after midnight but there most of the day and evening. I don’t use twitter myself but do read it a fair bit and the lie of the land around him has been obvious for some time. He could be part of that paid troll army, a journalist sharing an in joke with his unionist buddies or a sad prat sitting in his underpants all day using that as mental masturbation but as others have said, it’s the group around him who enable and reinforce him that are worse. And since they’re some of the supposed great and good of the media and union ranks they’re the ones we should really be investigating.

Well, Wings is being edited and published from an English location, Bath. It is located on a non-Scottish server. So the fact that “Death-Eater” Rowling is in Scotland is legally of as much import as if she was located in Antarctica, or Outer Mongolia. The Courts of Outer Mongolia have no jurisdiction over the matter, or those of Antarctica, (As they do not exist). The only court with legal authority is in England, and the nearest crown court to the centre of Bath is the place of litigation.
So the Uber-Oligarch of Scotland, AKA “Nasty Tough bitch”, is out of luck. So rev, please speak as freely as you would like to. She would get nowhere in an English Court. I also have a site, established and located abroad, from which material can be broadcast, about Scottish affairs and residents, and which anonymous articles, comments, etc, can be filed and broadcast. (Hint). It goes online on March 1st, in time for the Scottish Elections. I will host any suitable material, on that site, that the Grand-Dame Oligarch of Scotland tries to censor or repress, by actions in the Scottish Court. I hope the nasty mediocre Death Eater takes this on board. I will announce the site Boot-Up, 8am 01/03/16.

I’m a tad confused at celebrities who don’t realise that thier following of someone on Twitter might be seen as the equivalent of an endorsment.

Nor do I feel that when in a whole stop digging is the full advice. Certainly if you are only getting deeper and don’t want to go in that direction then stop what you’re doing. However if the only tool to hand is a shovel/spade then the best advise is to consider how best to use that to dig yourself out. For instance you might consider carefully removing soil from the top of the hole to stand on. With enough caution you should be able to dig yourself out.

@ Brian Powell says at 9:48 am …. ”Petra …Interesting, usually communities put up blue plaques to mark the original homes of authors, musicians and other famous folk. Perhaps the lady is planning to put up a plaque to herself. Charge tour fees.”

Brian she was seemingly miserably unhappy living there (hated her teenage years) and left home when she was 18. There’s also some debate over her popularity in the area so it’s questionable that she’d ever return but of course could charge for people to visit the house sometime in the future. When she was 17 she scribed her name into paintwork by her bedroom window “Joanne Rowling slept here circa 1982” and from all accounts it’s still there.

Later when she had finished writing the HP series in the Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh she ‘graffitied’ the base of a Hermes bust in her room with “Finished writing Harry Potter + the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11th Jan 2007.’

Nine years later she tweeted. ”’Finished Hallows 9 yrs ago today,”. “Celebrated by graffiti-ing a bust in my hotel room. Never do this. It’s wrong.” The tweet was accompanied by photographic evidence of her defacement.’

Seems that she’s always suffered from delusions of grandeur and has adopted the stance that there’s one rule for her and another for everyone else.

‘Bid for new law banning hate speech against women as protests against rape advocate are planned.’

“Lots of other jurisdictions include women in their hate crime legislation. We don’t have any hate crime legislation for women and I do think what this exposes is a gap in the criminal law …..

This new offence, Brindley said, would deal with ONLINE MISOGYNISTIC ABUSE and rape threats: “I think what we need is clear legislation that says this is a crime, it’s incitement to hatred and you could be prosecuted for it.”

Auldcynic says:
Natalie McGarry may be right in what she says, and you present her case well, but why did she need to say it at all ?

She is harassed and insulted by BrianSpanner on twitter.

Thats all the more galling because BrianSpanner and JK are twitter friends – indeed close twitter friends. And BrianSpanner and a number of journalists and media people are twitter friends. And as the Unionist press and JK have made clear they do not support Trolling and abuse on the internet.

Rock, can you leave off with the attack on Freemasons, and ex military types, just saying!
I actually get where you are coming from with the National, but unless you want to start your own newspaper we should be grateful for the support.

As for the sycophant twitter user, his numbers up. Let Rowling continue with her “doing a Ratner” as a children’s book writer, being associated even remotely with the comments made against young women will come back to haunt her.

There’s an odd site called The Daily Dot which carries some of the history, including some of Spanners rude pics sent to Natalie.
Another unpleasant character called Ergasiophobe is in the tag team. He seems to also have a website called Ahdinnaeken and calls himself Longshanker. They amuse themselves by saying nasty things about Natalie, Stu, Wings Over Scotland and other pet hates.

Strangely they can’t find any nasty misogynistic tweets of Brian Spanner’s and they clearly are in the JK fan club.

Looks like the tweets started in 2014 and are related to Natalie McGarry’s election campaign in Margaret Curran’s constituencey.

Capella, I think Longshanker was a troll here a few years ago. Was before my time but I came across stuff in Quarentine or off topic, cant quite remember. Had a quick look at that daily dot. They cant have looked very hard at Spanners account if they didnt find any abusive tweets, just a few pictures of vegetables. Yet another article that soft soaps Queen Voldemort

Yes I think the website was playing ultra safe to the point of sycophancy.

But there does seem to be an odd group of people who dwell on the dark side, know each other, have media connections, are rabidly anti-Scottish-independence and full of bile. Too “deatheaterish” for my taste.
Clove of garlic essential.

Men who use phallic shaped foods exhibit a subconscious disgust of their own genitalia. By using vegetables that are reminiscent of sexual organs, as a penis substitute, they are seeking validation that this misshapen ideal is normal.

But this is only masking denial, repression and anal personality that may eventually lead in some extreme cases to attack, either verbally or physically woman they see as sexually unobtainable or superior.

Spanner displays a clinical manifestation of this abnormality. Maybe that could answer his cozening up to Mrs Rowling, His relationships with women, either sycophancy, or abusive!

I know Im late into this discusion but two things strike me that need consideration. One is that whatever it is that annoys JKR it is working and the second is an MP doesnt have to make an apology unless they know they have said something they shouldnt have.

Has the “Spanner QC” character said anything that would be actionable in the UK? Given that twitter have a physical presence in the UK, wouldn’t it be possible to use a Norwich Pharmacy Order https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_Pharmacal_Order to compel them to divulge the IP address(es) that the individual (or individuals) behind the account are connecting from. Then another order could be used on the relevant UK ISP in order to compel them to provide the details of the actual person behind the account.

At which point you would presumably have the identity of “Spanner QC” and could sue/prosecute them appropriately. (And if knowledge of that person revealed that they where, for instance, close personal friends with any well-known authors then any embarrassment caused to said authors would be, alas, an “unfortunate side effect”!)

The Motley Fool (who are a US based investment forum with a UK site as well), where forced to reveal the identity of a user who made negative comments about Totalise in 2001, so the idea is not without precedent. However I am not a lawyer, and therefore anyone contemplating this idea should probably consult with someone who was before starting!

It takes a pretty pathetic individual to use their vast fortune in an effort to sue for respect. For to that end is what this amounts. Purchased respect isn’t respect at all. It is a very public undressing of the thin-skinned and the humorless. How could one ever be so proud of showing ones bare negatives in a public setting? Yet this woman boasts of her ‘small island’ of attorneys which go forth to intimidate and bully at her behest. True respect is earned. It can never be purchased, bartered, or stolen. Limiting free speech limits any free society.

OOPs that last bit should say redifine …..don’t ask…I don’t know
And I don’t even have any wine

Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.